One of the effects of the lockdown is that large amounts of used car and van stock across the country are being left unattended for long periods of time, making them vulnerable to vandalism and theft.
The issue is being highlighted by the Vehicle Remarketing Association, the trade body which represents organisations involved in the remarketing of 1.5m cars and vans every year.
If you have access to large, formal storage facilities with high level security measures, the VRA says there is not likely to be a problem but issues may arise in smaller locations that were never designed to be left unattended for long periods of time, notably dealer forecourts and ad hoc storage compounds.
Sam Watkins, chair at the VRA*, explained what dealers could do: “Our initial advice for businesses using these smaller sites is to talk to your insurer. Your policy probably doesn’t cover you for vehicles that are left at a site that is essentially unattended for weeks at a time. It is possible or probable that this condition has been suspended by your insurer but you should check.
“The second is to look at security. Call your local police station and explain the circumstances and your concerns. They may be able to drive by the site every day or you might arrive at some other measure that maintains social distancing but reduces the likelihood that there is criminal activity on the site.”
* https://thevra.co.uk/stock-security-during-lockdown-could-be-growing-problem-for-remarketing-sector/
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